October 17, 2019

As the Turkish military, along with allied Syrian rebels, continue their operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria, Christian communities are concerned about the repercussions that may follow. While the campaign is not religiously motivated, believers in the region face particular vulnerabilities.

Church members hang signs protesting the illegal closure of their church.

Pastor Salah Chalah, who serves as the national leader of the Protestant Church of Algeria, also pastors the largest church in the country. Each week about 800 Christians gather for worship at the Protestant Church of the Full Gospel of Tizi-Ouzou.

On October 15th, Pastor Salah and those of his leadership team received an order that the church building was to be sealed. Authorities state that the church has been practising worship without authorization. According to Pastor Saleh, no such authorization is legally required. Regardless, this church is the only Protestant church in the country officially recognized as a place of worship.

A retired pastor and his family in northern India have been badly beaten and forced into hiding after police recently sided with their attackers. Patram Mangala helps with a Christian school in Sohna, Haryana state.

Patram and his wife were working in their front yard on September 22nd when a group of Hindu militants approached and began assaulting them. Patram was hit in the face with a spade. His wife sustained internal injuries, as well as a blow to her face. Their son Abhishek lost four front teeth and sustained injury to one eye, while their other son Raj received internal injuries.